READ College – 2 Year Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre
Our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre at READ College has an exceptional 100% success rate for graduates being offered places at top flight vocational Dance and Musical Theatre colleges.
Along with our 15 years experience of running foundation-level training and a small course intake of students each year, READ College is the UK’s leading Vocational Sixth Form for Musical Theatre!
Course Content – Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre at READ College
Our Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre is unique in its approach, with a very high practical and vocational element being supported by Level 3 A-Level equivalent qualifications. We do not have a bias towards any one discipline of Musical Theatre, but train our students as triple-threat performers in acting, singing and dancing. Our personal approach is what makes READ the UK’s leading centre for Foundation Courses in the Performing Arts.
Class sizes are small, and we take a strictly limited number of students each year on our Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre to make sure that we are able to work with each student individually and support them through their training. Classes are streamlined by experience/ability to ensure that all students are challenged and supported, and during an average week across 2 years at READ College, Musical Theatre Sixth Form students will take part in the following classes:
- Dance– Ballet, Technical Jazz, Commercial Jazz, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, Tap, Body Conditioning, Audition Solos
- Acting – Improvisation, Classical Theatre, Audition Rep (monologues), Physical Theatre, Acting Styles, Play Performance
- Singing – Private Singing, Ensemble Singing, Musical Theatre, Music Theory, Vocal Tech
- Additional Weekly Classes – Audition Preparation, Performance Class, Contextual Studies, Study Classes, Arts Administration
- Student Welfare – Support can be accessed through our dedicated Student Welfare Officer, including counselling and osteopathy
Alongside these weekly classes, we have regular guest workshops and masterclasses in 2nd year with most of the major degree-level Dance and Musical Theatre Schools, some of whom even come and run auditions here at READ to hand pick our students for their courses! Our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre is accredited by OCR and students study towards the Cambridge Extended Technical Diploma in Musical Theatre, which is equivalent to 3 A-Levels and can be used through UCAS to apply for university places should students decide not to go on to further drama training. The qualification is assessed in 18 modular units taken during the 2 year course.
Please note: Since Brexit prevented us from being able to accept international students in January 2021, we are no longer able to accept applications from international students (residency outside the UK or ROI).
Read on to see our graduate destinations and details of how to fund your course at READ…
Much of the OCR qualification work is undertaken in the 1st year of our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre, with 2nd year focussing on auditions for Drama School and Dance College. We guide our students through their audition process from start to finish, including helping them with UCAS, personal statements, headshots, when to apply, where to apply, managing audition repertoire, etc, etc.
READ College is also proud to have exceptional pastoral care, with physical and emotional health being top priorities in looking after our young performers in training. As well as a specialist Performing Arts Osteopath and Vocal Health Coach available for the students, we are part of the #Time4Change Charter, supporting mental health awareness in the Performing Arts. We provide free access to our college chaplain and qualified young people’s counsellor for students every week.
Graduate Destinations
Our most recent graduates from the Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre here at READ College have been offered places at schools including Arts Ed, Mountview, Bird, London Studio Centre, Urdang, Italia Conti, Laine and many more
- Visit our alumni page and see the full list of our graduate destinations from our Acting Foundation Course!
APPLY NOW FOR THE UK’S LEADING VOCATIONAL SIXTH FORM IN MUSICAL THEATRE!
Here at READ College, we believe very strongly that a career in the Performing Arts should be open to anyone who has the dedication and determination to make it, regardless of financial circumstances. That is why we are a registered charity with no owner, director or shareholders making money from your training – our Board of Trustees are all volunteers. You can find out about our charitable work by clicking HERE.
The full cost of our Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre (per year) based on entry in 2023 is currently under review. Fees can be paid monthly or in three installments, without any additional administration or interest costs.
Our Access to The Arts scheme can support up to 60% of tuition fees at READ College for UK students.
Bursaries from Access to The Arts are means-tested and are provided on a sliding scale, based on household income, savings levels and also any extenuating circumstances that have led to a student being unable to access Performing Arts training. Once a student has been offered a place at audition, they will be sent a bursary application form to fill in and complete before having to enrol.
For students who may not be eligible for support from Access to The Arts, or those who have been awarded a bursary but cannot afford the balance of the fees, we provide a full support and advice service to help you find additional grants and sponsorship wherever possible. If you would like advice on funding your course, please contact us.
Please note that at the present time, there is no government funding or student loan that will cover Foundation Training, which is why we set up Access to The Arts.
We are extremely proud of the expert teaching faculty at READ College on our Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre. All of our staff are experienced industry professionals with many years of vocational teaching experience alongside impressive performing careers.
You can find out who teaches on our Musical Theatre Sixth Form at READ College by visiting our Teaching Faculty page and see why we’re the leading Performing Arts Foundation College in the UK!
Students on our Musical Theatre Sixth Form Course have several performance opportunities during their year with us. These include:
- Assessed Performances, where outside audiences are invited in to our Theatre to watch your college work in action
- Performance Workshop, a devised project with students creating their own work
- Move It, the UK’s biggest dance and theatre expo at ExCel London
- Musical Theatre Showcase (2nd year), where representatives from the UK’s leading Dance and Drama colleges are invited to see our students in action. This is a full-scale revue with a live band and professional production team
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked question by prospective students. Feel free to get in touch if you need to ask anything else!
- How old do I have to be? The minimum age for entrance to our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre is 16, and there is no official upper limit. For students who are 18 or over and have A-Level or equivalent qualifications, we recommend our 1 Year Foundation Course in Musical Theatre which gives you the chance to gain experience and training post A-Level
- What qualifications do I need? Although there is no formal academic requirement for training at READ on our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre, we do expect students to have a Pass (4) in GCSE English as you will be expected to work at a high level (with full support) towards your OCR qualification. Admission to READ is by audition, and so it is what you present on the day that counts! You can find out more about our audition process here.
- Do I need dance and drama exams or GCSEs to audition? No. They are a useful way of us gauging your experience prior to audition but once again, it is all about what you present at audition!
You can use our contact form to get in touch with us to ask any questions that you might have, and we will always be happy to help!
If you’re considering auditioning for our Sixth Form in Musical Theatre, then take a look at our “What to Expect at and Audition” page, which will tell you all about your day. You might also like to check out our “Location and Accommodation” page to see where we are and how to find us.
Got all the info that you need? Then go ahead and APPLY NOW for our Vocational Sixth Form in Musical Theatre!
